As a huge fan of both football and design, naturally I became interested in the combination of the two.
So I decided to rank my favorite and least favorite uniform matchups of the week in the NFL. These rankings are completely arbitrary and decided by nothing but my own preferences.
Don't like my picks? Feel free to argue with me.
Best
1. Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baltimore adding these purple pants to the rotation a few years ago really gave this set new life. Tampa's red over pewter is one of my favorite uniforms in the league. Put the two together, and you get a great matchup.
2. San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
In the bright California sun, this matchup looked amazing. This combination is the best one the Rams can wear at home, and the royal blue looked stunning in the daylight. I can look past the weird horn and gradient numbers when everything else looks good. For San Francisco, this is a nearly perfect uniform. Commit to either the red socks or white ones with stripes that match the sleeves, but having so much inconsistency from player to player breaks the idea of a "uniform."
3. Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles
The way Philadelphia's midnight green looks in the sun helps me look past the white socks with white pants. Why it seems like the players want that look, I have no idea, but the black socks are better. Green socks would be best. Sock discourse aside, Midnight green against yellow and black just looks good.
Worst
1. Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions
For a pair of teams with bright, distinctive colors, you could not draw up a more boring matchup. Miami's aqua and orange were relegated to trim colors on an all-white base, Detroit's Honolulu blue hardly found on a matte grey backdrop. Add in the warehouse-esque lighting inside Ford Field and you get as forgettable an aesthetic as you'll find. The Lions simply have no need for an all-grey uniform, while Miami's aqua pants would be preferable in a situation like this.
2. Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars
Denver, what was the plan here? This uniform has been around for a quarter of a century, and not once have the blue pants been worn with the white jersey - and for good reason! The side panel design entirely breaks down when the panels on the jersey and pants don't match. Otherwise, this is a decent-looking uniform.
I have no real objection to Jacksonville's all-black set other than wanting a little more teal and some gold. This one is all on Denver.
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